Oak Openings eBook

The “garrison” wanted only one thing, now,
to render it a formidable post—­and that
was water—­no spring or well existing within
its narrow limit; however, he procured two or three
empty barrels, portions of le Bourdon’s effects,
placed them within the works, and had them filled
with sweet water. By emptying this water two
or three times a week, and refilling the barrels, it
was thought that a sufficient provision of that great
necessary would be made and kept up. Luckily
the corporal’s “garrison” did not
drink, and the want was so much the more easily supplied
for the moment.

In truth, the chiente was now converted into a place
of some strength, when it is considered that artillery
had never yet penetrated to those wilds. More
than half the savages of the west fought with arrows
and spears in that day, as most still do when the
great prairies are reached. A rifleman so posted
as to have his body in a great measure covered by
the trunk of a burr-oak tree, would be reasonably
secure against the missives of an Indian, and, using
his own fatal instrument of death, under a sense of
personal security, he would become a formidable opponent
to dislodge. Nor was the smallness of the work
any objection to its security. A single well-armed
man might suffice to defend twenty-five feet of palisades,
when he would have been insufficient to make good his
position with twice the extent. Then le Bourdon
had cut loops on three sides of the hut itself, in
order to fire at the bears, and sometimes at the deer,
which had often approached the building in its days
of solitude and quiet, using the window on the fourth
side for the same purpose. In a word, a sense
of increased security was felt by the whole party
when this work was completed, though one arrangement
was still wanting to render it perfect. By separating
the real garrison from the nominal garrison during
the night, there always existed the danger of surprise;
and the corporal, now that his fortifications were
finished, soon devised a plan to obviate this last-named
difficulty. His expedient was very simple, and
had somewhat of barrack-life about it.

Corporal Flint raised a low platform along one side
of the chiente, by placing there logs of pine that
were squared on one of their sides. Above, at
the height of a man’s head, a roof of bark was
reared on poles, and prairie grass, aided by skins,
formed very comfortable barrack-beds beneath.
As the men were expected to lie with their heads to
the wall of the hut, and their feet outward, there
was ample space for twice their number. Thither,
then, were all the homely provisions for the night
transported; and when Margery closed the door of the
chiente, after returning the bee-hunter’s cordial
good night, it was with no further apprehension for
the winding of the mysterious horn.

The first night that succeeded the new arrangement
passed without any disturbance. Pigeonswing did
not return, as usual, at sunset, and a little uneasiness
was felt on his account; but, as he made his appearance
quite early in the morning, this source of concern
ceased. Nor did the Chippewa come in empty-handed;
he had killed not only a buck, but he had knocked
over a bear in his rambles, besides taking a mess
of famously fine trout from a brawling stream at no
great distance. The fish were eaten for breakfast,
and immediately after that meal was ended, a party.